The Miami Dolphins have hit the road again for a Saturday night matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium where the winner will advance to the divisional round, and the loser will be eliminated.
Mike McDaniel’s team will have to overcome all of the injuries and struggles against some of the NFL’s top teams to win their first playoff game in over two decades. If they can’t, they’ll be out after one game just as they were last year.
But, before the game kicks off, here are a few things that the Dolphins and Chiefs fanbases should know and think about before the game:
Rankings
Points scored per game (2023)
- Kansas City (21.8 – 15th)
- Miami (29.2 – 2nd)
Points allowed per game (2023)
- Kansas City (17.3 – 2nd)
- Miami (23.0 – 22nd)
Yards gained per game (2023)
- Kansas City (351.3 – 9th)
- Miami (401.3 – 1st)
Yards allowed per game (2023)
- Kansas City (289.8 – 2nd)
- Miami (318.3 – 10th)
History
The Dolphins and Chiefs are tied 16-16 in their head-to-head matchups, but they’re just 1-4 since 2010. Miami is 1-1 at Arrowhead in that span.
These two teams last met in Frankfurt, Germany earlier this year with Kansas City winning 21-14. In that game, Mahomes hit Rashee Rice and Jerick McKinnon for scores while Tua Tagovailoa connected with Cedrick Wilson for one and Raheem Mostert ran in another.
They’ve met three times in the postseason with the Dolphins winning all three matchups.
Injury concerns
For Miami, Xavien Howard has been ruled out. Jevon Holland, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert and DeShon Elliott are questionable.
For Kansas City, they’ll be without offensive tackle Wanya Morris. Kadarius Toney and Justyn Ross are questionable.
Connections
- Dolphins tight ends coach/assistant head coach Jon Embree served as the Chiefs tight ends coach from 2006-08.
- Dolphins offensive assistant Kolby Smith played for the Chiefs from 2007-09.
- Dolphins assistant offensive line coach Lemuel Jeanpierre played for the Chiefs in 2010.
- Dolphins cornerbacks coach/pass-game specialist Sam Madison served as the Chiefs defensive backs/cornerbacks coach from 2019-21.
- Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt played for the Dolphins in 1993.
- Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill played for the Chiefs from 2016-21.
- Dolphins defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah played for the Chiefs in 2019.
- Dolphins linebacker Melvin Ingram played for the Chiefs in 2021.
- Chiefs running back La’Mical Perine spent time on the Dolphins practice squad in 2022.
- Dolphins tight ends coach/assistant head coach Jon Embree’s son, Connor, is the Chiefs wide receivers coach.
